The present invention generally relates to techniques for supporting wireless communication equipment and, in particular, to a system and method for supporting guyed towers having increased load capacity and stability, thereby enabling the guyed tower to support heavier or additional wireless communication equipment and/or other types of loads.
The increase in wireless telecommunications traffic has resulted in a concomitant increase in the need for guyed mounted transmission equipment of all kinds. Not only do wireless service providers need to install equipment covering new geographic areas, competing services providers and others also need to install additional equipment covering the same or similar geographic areas. To date, the solution to the foregoing problems normally includes purchasing additional land or easements, applying for the necessary government permits and zoning clearances, and constructing a new guyed tower for new transmission equipment.
Purchasing land or easements, however, is becoming increasingly expensive, particularly in urban areas where the need for wireless telecommunications is greatest. Zoning regulations often limit the construction of new guyed towers in the most suitable locations. The expense and delay associated with the zoning process often are cost-prohibitive or so time consuming that construction of the new tower is not feasible. Even when zoning regulations can be satisfied and permits can be obtained, the service provider must then bear the burden and expense associated with the construction and the maintenance of the tower.
The guyed tower itself should be designed to support the weight of the telecommunications transmission equipment as well as the forces exerted on the guyed tower by environmental factors, such as wind and ice, for example. The equipment and the environmental factors produce forces known as bending moments that, in effect, may cause a single guyed tower to collapse if the tower is not designed for adequate stability. Traditionally, single guyed towers have been designed to withstand the forces expected from the equipment originally installed on the guyed tower. Very few single guyed towers are designed with sufficient stability to allow for the addition of new equipment.
Thus, there is a need for a method and a system for increasing the load capacity and stability of a single guyed tower to enable the guyed tower to support the weight of additional equipment as well as the environmental forces exerted on the guyed tower.
The present invention overcomes the inadequacies and deficiencies of the prior art as discussed hereinbefore. Generally, the present invention provides a system and method for increasing the load capacity and stability of a guyed tower so that the guyed tower can better support wireless communication equipment and/or other types of loads.
In accordance with the present invention, wireless transmission equipment and/or other types of loads are secured to a guyed tower that is fixedly attached to a foundation. A pole tower is erected within a middle region of the guyed tower. This pole tower is fixedly attached to the guyed tower via a collar that is disposed about the guyed tower. Bending moments are transferred from the guyed tower to the pole tower via the collar that is disposed about the guyed tower. Thus, the presence of the pole tower within the middle region of the guyed tower increases the load capacity and stability of the guyed tower.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, a spacer may be disposed between and fixedly attached to the guyed tower and pole tower. This spacer can provide better support for the guyed tower.
The present invention can also be viewed as providing a method for increasing a load capacity of a guyed tower. The method can be broadly conceptualized by the following steps: erecting a pole tower within a middle region of the guyed tower; fixedly attaching the pole tower to the foundation; and fixedly attaching the pole tower to the guyed tower.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon examination of the following detailed description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is intended that all such features and advantages be included herein within the scope of the present invention and protected by the claims.